Monday, 1 October 2012



Seen Elsewhere




Boris in The Telegraph on the party leader:
“They say old school ties are strong in this country, but there is a limit. Yes, it is perfectly true that I was at the same school as the party leader, and yes, we went to the same university. I have absolutely nothing against him personally — he has a very nice wife, after all, and a good degree (admittedly in PPE). But the time has come to say it loud and clear: he is emerging as a total disappointment; and as leader of a major political party, he looks to me like a drip of the first order.”



MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2012



Balls on Wearing Nazi Uniform: It Was a Laugh

Ed Balls has spoken out for the first time about wearing a Nazi uniform in his spare time at Oxford. Kudos to Mehdi Hasan for asking him the awkward question. His flippant response might well upset some in his party:“Of course I’m not embarrassed by it. If I had the choice again, would I do it? No. Is there a difference between being 20 and being 40? Yes.” Apparently he “went along with it for a laugh. In retrospect I wouldn’t do it again.” Guess you had to be there…


Five Most Popular Fringe Events at Labour Conference

Two-Faced Chuka Chokes Up Over Shameful Past

Chuka’s speech to the Labour conference hall today was notably understated. While Ed Balls strayed into leader’s speech territory, it’s no coincidence that the ambitious shadow business secretary kept things low-key. The lobby saw straight through him:
Much more interesting than Chuka’s speech was his little chat with theChannel 4 team last night. Putting on his caring, emotional face, Chukaadmitted:
“The people who work for me, as far as I’m concerned, are underpaid, they work 24/7 for the Labour party and because they are deemed to be an expense they are not paid what they deserve for serving my community or serving us nationally as a party. I think it is outrageous. I’m ashamed of what we pay the people who work for us.”
That hasn’t stopped him from advertising for unpaid “volunteers” notonce, not twice, but three times. His two-faced hypocrisy knows no bounds. Which Chuka will we see tomorrow?


Check out the latest Telegraph totty…
…Over on MediaGuido


Video: Butch Balls Blasts Dave

Promising to take a long, hard look at spending whilst not actually committing to cutting anything is classic Balls. Guido enjoyed his line that “If David Cameron is butch, where does that leave George Osborne?”, and the conference hall loved the “Flatline Kid” gag. It was a leader’s speech…
Video via @liarpoliticians


Treasury Sources Kick Back at Balls Before He’s Opened Mouth

Balls seems to have briefed the entirety of his upcoming conference speech already. One of the downsides of doing this before he’s even reached the podium is that it gives his opponents the chance to shoot it down before he’s opened his mouth. Treasury sources are pointing out the HMRC’s own reportinto the last time Stamp Duty was frozen for first time buyers:
“The tax relief has not had a significant impact on improving affordability for first time buyers. It is estimated that most of the people who benefited would have purchased property in the absence of the relief anyway.”
The only significant impact will be to give Balls at least one policy, however pointless.
It’s well known that Balls still has ‘people’ inside the Treasury and there is plenty of speculation doing the rounds that he had got wind of the 4G auction goodies fund and has pulled a fast one on the Chancellor. Just like George did in 2007 with the inheritance tax threshold hike…


Justine’s X-Rated Ed Rant
Daily Star Sunday Column Now Online


If you had picked up your Daily Star Sunday yesterday you would already know all about Ed’s x-rated argument with his wife Justine:
“It has happened to us all – you’re about to leave home for an important appointment and you can’t find your bits and bobs. Midweek, Guido was told Ed Miliband “came into my opticians wanting new contact lenses in a hurry. Couldn’t wait. His wife was swearing at him ‘They’re your lenses. You f**king lost them’. He was well flustered”. If you had a big speech to read from an autocue, you would be too.”
Elsewhere you can read all about the latest on Labour’s three red princes, Harriet Harman’s take on Fifty Shades of Grey and which fraternal figure will be leaving Manchester early. Yesterday’s column is now online here.


Broke Guardian Cancel Conference Party

On the train to Manchester Guido turned his attention to tonight’s fun and games: mainly crashing the Guardian party again and worshipping at the alter of Alan. Sadly, upon inquiring when and where the shindig was going down, he was informed that this year’s party had been cancelled due to staff cuts. Apparently it was “thought it would look bad so not doing any conference receptions this year”. Troubled times…
With News International still licking their wounds, it looks like the Sky News party is going to be the place to be.


Read all about the outrageous expenses claims made by BBCbosses…
Only over on MediaGuido


These Aren’t Just Spending Cuts, They’re M&S Spending Cuts

The Labour party conference is under way and Ed is already taking flak from unexpected quarters – and not just his brother. Yesterday Marks and Spencers were the latest to twist the knife, with their stand in the conference zone cheekily declaring support for “Plan A. Because there is no Plan B”.
Obviously they’re only talking aboutplastic bags and it’s nothing to do with M&S chairman Sir Stuart Rose being a Tory donor and a signatory to the infamous Telegraph letter backing George Osborne’s spending review in 2010. Obviously…